22 October 2023 , 06:00
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Resident Evil 4 remake was already one hell of a game when it first launched back in March, but with the Separate Ways DLC expansion, it's somehow got even better.
Resident Evil 4's remake is one of the best games of 2023, there's no denying that. The 2005 original is one of the best games ever made, and the 2023 remake is right up there with it, although not quite surpassing it. One of the most shocking cuts from the remake was the bonus campaign starring Ada Wong – Separate Ways, which mainly reused content to tell an extra story for the PS2 port. While I don't consider the Resident Evil 4 remake to be superior to the original, the new Separate Ways is superior in almost every way to the original version.
Separate Ways tells you the story of what Ada Wong was doing during the events of Resident Evil 4, and how her actions behind the scenes affected Leon's adventure. She is working with the iconic series villain Albert Wesker, who is making his RE Engine debut with this DLC (aside from a brief cameo at the end of the base game). The storytelling is just as sharp in this DLC as it was in the base game, and the extra scenes with Luis Sera (my new favourite character thanks to the remake) are well appreciated. Not to mention, certain set pieces from the original game that were absent in the base game – like the iconic laser hallway – return in Separate Ways.
Ready, willing and Ada
Ada's gameplay is not too dissimilar to Leon's, you're able to pick up most of the same weapons Leon had access to in the main campaign, with exclusive ones like the explosive bolt thrower. What makes Ada unique is her grappling gun, which allows you to grapple hook up to higher platforms, launch yourself towards an enemy to boot them in the head, or rip a shield out of an enemy's hands.
Not to mention, this is a hefty DLC. It'll take you a number of hours to complete it, and considering it's only £7.99 / $9.99 / AU$14.24, I was pleasantly surprised by how packed the DLC was. Not to mention Ada and Wesker were added to the Mercenaries mode for free, letting you have access to two unique playstyles free of charge. Resident Evil 4 was already one of the best games of 2023, and thanks to Separate Ways it's cemented itself at an even higher spot in my game of the year list.
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